Springs



(No Model.)

H. SHANK &- W. E. .MEEK.

DEVIGE FOR WEANING GALVBS. N0.332,293. Patented Dec. 15, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICEQ HENRY SHANK AND \VILLIAM EDGAR MEEK, OFCOLORADO SPRINGS, OOLO.

DEVICE FOR WEANING CALVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,293, dated December15. 1885.

Svl'itll No. 174,330. (No mocel.)

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY SHANK and WILLIAM E. MEEK, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Colorado Springs, in the county of El Pasoand State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Improvement inDevices for Weaning Calves, of which the fol lowing is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention has relation to improvements in devices for weaning calvesand the like; and the novelty consists in the peculiar construction,combination, and arrangement of the various parts for service,substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointedout in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a calf-weaner which shall besimple, strong, and durable in construction, effective in operation,capable of quick and ready attachment to and removable from the nose ofan animal or calf, and cheap of manufacture.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a perspective view of ourimproved device for weaning animals or calves. Fig. 2 is an elevationshowing the jaws of the device extended in position for clamping thedevice upon the animals nose. Fig. 3is an opposite side view, and Fig. 4is an end view.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the body-piece, and B thesliding block or plate, each of which is cut away, as at a a, to 5provide two jaws, b b, which are separated a short distance, and areadapted to clasp the device upon the nose of the animal or calf in aplane above the mouth,to permit the animal to drink and eat withouthinderancefrom the device. The cutaway portion of the bodypiece extendsfrom the jaw to one side thereof, and providesa bearing for theblock,which slides back and forth thereon, and is pivoted to thebody-piece by means of links 0 0, two being arranged on each side and ateach end thereof, each of said links being pivoted at its upper end tothe sliding jaw, as at 0, and at its lower end to the body-piece, as at0, thus securely connecting the block B to the body piece or plate Aagainst displacement, while permitting it to have a limitedbackand-forth movement.

The links or plates 0 are preferably made flat, as shown, and areadapted to lie snugly against the faces of the sliding block 13 andplate A.

D designates a spring for normally holding the sliding block B in itsclosed position for retaining the device upon the animals nose, saidspring comprising two arms, D D' pret erably made of springy wire, andbent as shown, to provide or form said arms. The longer arm, D, of thespring is connected at its front end to the sliding block by being bentto form a nib or spur, d, fitting in an aperture in said block near itslower end, and passing therethrongh,on the opposite side of whichit isclinched or headed down. Theopposite or rear end of the arm passes undera guide, E, and a little beyond said guide it passes through a staple,F, which holds the device from displacement. The arm extendstransversely across the faces of the block and body-piece from one tothe other in an inclined position, and the rear end thereof, where it isbent, is arranged below and beyond the inner edge of the cutaway portionof the body piece or plate A. The shorter arm, D is arranged or bent atan acute angle to the arm D, and at its front end it is bent abruptly orat right angles, as at d, to forma vertical arm, and then bent again, asat d to form ahorizontal arm, the extreme outer end of which is bent toprovide a shoulder or nib, by means of which the arm of the spring iselevated by hand to clear the guide E and allow the block to slideforward to separate the jaws of the device to clamp it upon the nose ofan animal or calf. The staple F embraces the arm D of the spring to keepit in position, and is secured at its lower ends in the body piece orplate, while the guide E embraces both arms of the spring, as shown, andpreferably consists of a wire rod bent at right angles at both ends andsecured within the body-piece, as shown. The upper end of the guide Efits within the bent portion of the free end of the arm D and serves toretain that arm of the spring in position when the two jaws of thedevice are closed, the bent portion or arm d of said spring abuttingagainst the guide and preventing the block from sliding or lockingit inposition.

When it is desired to open the jaws of the device to secure or clamp itin position on the free arm D of the spring D is elevated by hand out ofcontact with the staple or guide E, and the block B pushed forward, thusdrawing the spring bodily with it and causing the lower arm, D to restupon the guide E, as shown in Fig. 2, whenthe jaws are fitted over thenose and the block B moved to its closed position, which forces the armd of the spring D into engagement with the guide E.

A device constructed in accordance with our invention just described isextremely simple, strong, and durable in construction, efficient inoperation, cheap of manufacture, and accommodates itself to noses ofdifferent sizes.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device for weaning calves, the combination of a body-piecehaving a rigid jaw formed therewith, a block pivotally connected to thebody-piece and adapted to slide there on, and a spring having two arms,one connected to the sliding block and the other free to slide upon thebody-piece and exerting pressure on said block to hold it normally inits closed position, substantially as described.

2. In a device for weaning calves, the combination of a body-piecehaving a cut-away portion to form a jaw, b, a block, B, adapted to slideon the body-piece A, and carrying a jaw, 12, links 0, pivotal1yconnected to the block and body-piece, a spring, D, having two arms, D Dand a guide, E, substantially V as and for the purpose described.

3. In a device for weaning calves, the combination of a body-piecehavinga rigid jaw, a block, B, provided with asimilar jaw mounted on thesaid body-piece and pivotally connected thereto, a spring having twoarms, the longer, D", thereof being connected at its forward end to theblock B and held to slide in an inclined position upon the body-piece bythe staple F, the shorter arm, D thereof being bent to providea catch,01, and a finger-piece, (Z and a guide, E, attached to the body-pieceandembracing the arms of the said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own wehave heretoaffixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY SHANE. WILLIAM EDGAR MEEK.

Witnesses:

DAVID WEBSTER, JOHN PIXLEY.

